Obituaries

Leona “Lee” Ann Barnic, 91, peacefully passed from this earth on the morning of September 7, 2017 surrounded by her loving children and family.
She was born on February 3, 1926 to the parents of Joseph Graham and Elizabeth Walsh Graham in Old Forge, PA. She was the youngest of nine siblings and had five sisters and three brothers. The glorious childhood memories she would recant to us of singing, dancing, running and playing with her sister “Marvie” and her friends always brought a smile to her face. The love that her “Mama and Papa” showed to her would later serve as a template for her own motherhood and life.
She was married to Stephen “Steve” Barnic for 68 years before his sudden death in September of 2013. Together, they brought 5 children into the world. Lee was a devoted Mother who gave her love unconditionally to her children. She was a beautiful, strong and faithful woman who was proud of her family and her Irish heritage. She was a lifelong parishioner of St. Lawrence O’Toole Church in Old Forge.
Lee was preceded in death by a son Brian, her husband Steve and her eight siblings; brothers Joseph, Leonard and infant James Graham, sisters Anna Mae Graham, Dolores Giglio, Rita Gudaitis, Isabelle VanWay and Marvella Grego. She is survived by her daughter Patricia Gaughan and husband Joe of Scranton, her son Stephen Barnic and his wife Beth Ann of Inkerman, her son Greg Barnic and his wife Colleen of Moosic, and her daughter Shannon Barnic of Old Forge; 12 grandchildren; Joseph Gaughan, Shelly Egan, Kelly Dolphin, Amy Gaughan, Kevin Gaughan, Stephen Barnic IV, Erin Sciandra, Kara Wrubel, Christopher Barnic, Brittany Barnic, Bridget Barnic and Rhyan Barnic; 15 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend their sincere and heartfelt thanks to all who cared for Lee in her struggle with Alzheimer’s disease which robbed her of the precious memories of her beautiful life and the enjoyment of her golden years. Special thanks to her physician Kenneth Sebastianelli, M.D. and the nurses, aides and staff at Mountain View Care Center’s “Magical Court” unit. Our heart goes out to all the families who are struggling to cope with the nightmare of this affliction. Those of us, who have had to look every day into the vacant face and empty eyes of someone you deeply love, someone that you have shared a life with, someone who raised you and cared for you and loved you, have the merciless task of accepting the fact that they have no idea who you are. That undertaking causes too much pain for the human spirit to endure. We hope and pray that better treatment and a cure are soon found.
A Mass of Christian burial is scheduled for Tuesday at 12:00 Noon at St. Lawrence O’Toole Church, 620 South Main Street in Old Forge, to be celebrated by Rev. August A. Ricciardi, Pastor. Interment will follow at the Cathedral Cemetery in Scranton.
Those attending the funeral are asked to go directly to the church. Arrangements are under the care of the Thomas P. Kearney Funeral Home, Inc., 517 North Main Street, Old Forge.